Popular firearms magazine ranks AZ 'best state for gun owners'

The gun debate has been raging for months now; will more or less regulations make our schools, churches and movie theaters safe? Whatever side you lean on, the verdict is in on where Arizona's laws stand. When it comes to gun laws, a popular firearms magazine said Arizona is on target for being the most lax state in the country.

"We're very much a lax state, that is we have a lot of liberal gun laws on the books," said Shane Krauser, the chief instructor with K-Force Vanguard. They teach people how to use guns.

"Many of them are alarmed with the state of affairs in this country," Krauser said.

He said it comes as no surprise that Guns & Ammo magazine ranked Arizona as the No. 1 best state for gun owners.

Guns & Ammo said because you don't have to have a concealed carry permit to carry your weapon, we have a stand your ground law and don't regulate sporting rifles, we hit the bull's-eye when it comes to lax gun ownership.

"Anytime there is an act of violence that happens, whether it's at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, we cry out for more regulation," Krauser said.

"We are definitely moving towards [sic], 'They're not going to tell me what to do, give me my gun' mentality," said Eleanor Eisenberg with Arizonans for Gun Safety. She said after the recent massacres, instead of moving toward more regulation, Arizona is moving away from it. While some, like Krauser, said that's a good thing, Eisenberg said she hopes that may one day change.

"We are no longer the old West, and in the old West they didn't have assault weapons," she said.

If you're curious, Vermont and Alaska were close behind Arizona, while New York and Washington, DC, were ranked as the so-called worst states for gun owners.